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116
ICE CREAM POISONING.
The value of the powers under the Act before mentioned will be fully
exemplified by the experience gained in the City during last Summer.
On the 24th July, a report was received from the Medical Officer of the
General Post Office, that two telegraph boys had presented themselves for
examination "complaining of severe pains in epigastrium, nausea, headache
"and depression (weakness), believed to be due to poisoning from ice cream
"bought at an Italian shop in Aldersgate Street;" and further, that there
had been several other similar cases.
Samples were therefore purchased at the shops in the neighbourhood
indicated, and submitted to Professor Klein for bacteriological examination.
Professor Klein's report was received on the 28th, as follows:—
St. Bartholomew's Hospital and College,
July 28th, 1902.
I write herewith a preliminary report of the results of the examination re Ice
creams.
Ice cream No. 1 and ice cream No. 2 contained a comparatively small number of
microbes—comparatively I mean as compared with most ice creams which are quite
wholesome.
But though comparatively few microbes were present, those present were of a
poisonous nature, as proved by the extremely virulent effect on the guinea-pig—less
on mice. The effect was intensive inflammation and gangrene after injection. This
effect —fatal with both samples—was more pronounced and more rapid with sample
No. 1 than with No. 2; moreover, the local exudation of the first series of the guineapigs
proved extremely virulent and lethal, even in small doses, to a second series of
animals. I cannot at present tell you exactly the nature of the virulent microbe,
because I have not got it yet in pure culture, but hope to be able to secure it after
a few days' further study.
E. KLEIN.
REPORT ON TWO SAMPLES OF ICE CREAMS.
These two samples, labelled No. 1 and No. 2 respectively, were collected in sterile
bottles on July 24th.
The bacterioscopic analysis showed that the creams contained comparatively few
microbes. I have examined a good many samples of ice creams which were bought
in first-class shops, and which creams were in all respects satisfactory except that
thev contained a very large number of microbes—as far as could be made out, all of
the harmless kind. In the present instance, however, the number of microbes, as
just stated, was comparatively small, but the nature of the microbes present was by
no means of the harmless kind.
From ice creams No. 1 and 2 I have isolated :
(a) Bacillus mesentericus, very abundant in No. 1, less abundant in No. 2.
This microbe is quite harmless, and is widely distributed in nature.